Hensley deserving of N.C. Hall honor

When the new class of inductees into the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame is introduced tonight in Raleigh, North Carolina basketball coach Roy Williams and Harlem Globetrotter Curley Neal will be the biggest stars.

But Bill Hensley, who is among the inductees, is just as deserving of his place in the Hall he helped create years ago.

Hensley has been a long-time champion of golf in North Carolina, usually working behind the scenes in his role as a public relations man.

A recent magazine article ranked Hensley, a former sports information director at Wake Forest and N.C. State, as the third-most influential person in North Carolina golf circles.

He has been around the game for decades and understands what makes it part of the fabric of life in North Carolina. He has done national work, doing public relations work for six U.S Opens, but his work to enhance the game here has made him a part of the North Carolina golf scene.

Hensley is the man who created the North Carolina Golf Panel, which annually ranks the top 100 courses in the state and he has been a wonderful ambassador for the area. He does his work in North Carolina but his name is known across the country.

He belongs in the North Carolina Sports Hall of Fame.

Two good things come out of TPC

Two very good things came out of The Players Championship Sunday even if all most of us got to watch was Doppler radar while the final holes were being played:

1. Sergio

It was a huge win for Sergio Garcia in many ways. It had been three years since he’d won and a significant portion of his sparkle had dulled in that time. He nearly won the British Open last year but didn’t and the longer he went without winning, the more the questions mounted.

It’s no secret that Sergio (above) doesn’t love the media because he’s been constantly reminded that he’s not been a good putter. He was a good putter when he arrived on tour but he watched too many putts miss and it worked on his head.

He came across as whiney last year after his British Open loss and got blasted for it. In fairness to him, he was bitterly disappointed and let his emotions show.

Asked Sunday evening if he still feels like a kid, Sergio said he plays his best when he plays like a kid but he feels like an old 28-year old.

At The Players, Sergio holed several key putts, including a huge one to get into the playoff. He’s begun working with short-game and putting guru Stan Utley and the results were apparent at Ponte Vedra Beach.

Garcia has what only a handful of players have – star power. He has the smile and the style to be more than a golfer. Sergio makes people watch. And, if we’re lucky, his best is yet to come.

2. Paul Goydos

Until you’re seriously into golf, you probably didn’t know who Paul Goydos was before this weekend. Even Goydos has joked, from time to time, that there’s no reason to know him because he’s never done anything.

In fact, he’s won twice on tour and is one of the most interesting guys on tour. He’s smart, sees the world beyond himself and appreciates what he has as a tour player.

Between the time Goydos won his two PGA Tour victories, Tiger Woods won 60 times, prompting Goydos to tell Tiger to hurry up and win his next 60 so he could win his third.

The win Sunday was important to Sergio’s career but a victory would have changed Goydos’ life in a professional sense. A divorced father who is raising two teen-aged daughters, Goydos almost became famous Sunday.

“I felt like Tiger Woods for a day,” Goydos said in his press conference.

He deserves it.

O'Meara: Kim's swing better than Tiger's at 22

When new Wachovia champion Anthony Kim came to realize his approach to the PGA Tour wasn’t working – he admitted he didn’t work hard enough as a rookie last year and thought he was good enough to walk in and win – he sought the advice of veteran players.

One of those was Mark O’Meara, who served as Tiger Woods’ mentor more than a decade ago.

O’Meara was asked about Kim earlier this year at the Buick Invitational and here are some of the things he said:

• “Everybody asks who’s the next young player to come along. I see a lot of talented young players. Nothing really jumped out at me until I played with this kid. I played three rounds with Anthony (late last year) in Naples and I was blown away. … I was like, whoa, this guy has got some game because he plays the little shots. He wants to win. He’s got a little bit of an attitude but he’s grown up a lot. I think he’s learned by some things that happened to him last year.”
  

• “He knows he’s made some mistakes. He’s willing to change and become a better person and a better player…I just conveyed to Anthony that I’ve been around the game a long time. I’m not an expert but I’ve watched and seen a lot. But you’ve got as much talent or more than any other player I’ve ever seen besides Tiger and I believe that.”

• “At 21, 22 Tiger had already won six tournaments. I think Tiger’s mental game was probably stronger. I think actual technique-wise, swing-wise, I reckon Anthony’s swing is better at 21, 22 than what Tiger’s was. But just because you have a good swing and hit the ball well doesn’t mean that you’re going to win tournaments. We’ve seen that.”
  

Another Kim first: Keeping blue jacket

Anthony Kim apparently likes the blue blazer he received for winning the Wachovia Championship Sunday at the Quail Hollow Club.

The 22-year became the first player in the six-year history of the event to keep the blue coat he was given at the trophy presentation on the 18th green.

Kim, who intended to leave Charlotte Sunday evening, instead spent the night here before heading off to The Players Championship in Florida.

After leaving Quail Hollow, Kim and some friends went to dinner at Del Frisco’s near Southpark and the champion arrived wearing his blue blazer.

When he entered the restaurant, Kim was greeted by a standing ovation from the diners and the staff.

Among those in the restaurant were Phil Mickelson and Fred Couples, who raised a toast to the new king of Quail Hollow.

Wachovia's winners, losers

While Anthony Kim celebrates, let’s look at the winners and losers from the 2008 Wachovia Championship.

WINNERS
- Anthony Kim. He set the tournament scoring record (16-under-par 282) and margin of victory record (five shots) while playing nearly flawless golf. He was under the radar before but he’s not anymore.

- Trevor Murphy. The Charlotte 49ers’ golfer qualified on Tuesday and had to skip the 49ers’ conference tournament, but it was worth it. He got to play against the world’s best and he found out he can do it. Murphy shot 71 on Thursday and was on the verge of making the cut until a bad stretch coming in cost him. Still, it was a terrific story.

-Ben Curtis. He slipped into second place quietly Sunday by shooting 65. There was a time when he was considered a fluke winner of the British Open, but he’s gradually grown into his game and is a nice person.

-Fred Couples. It was nice to see him back after five years. If he could putt, he could still win. But he’s still Freddie and he says he’ll be back next year.


LOSERS
-Tiger Woods. OK, not really a loser, but he had to sit out while he rehabs his knee. Maybe he watched Anthony Kim’s performance and took notice. And, yes, Tiger was missed here but he’s missed every week he doesn’t play.

-Bill Haas. He’s struggling with his confidence and it showed Thursday when he talked about considering a different career. That probably won’t go over well with Papa Jay.

-Trevor Immelman. He’s now 0-for-2 making cuts since winning the Masters. His game has gone on sabbatical, but Immelman smiled and enjoyed himself. His game will be fine.

-Vijay Singh. He was tied for eighth with two holes to play Sunday then dunked two in the lake at No. 17 to ruin his weekend. The good news is he chipped in for a no-putt six. For whatever that’s worth.

Ron Green Jr.

Kim's the leader, but it's not over yet

We’re 18 holes away from handing a blue jacket to someone at the Wachovia Championship - right now it looks like Anthony Kim, but don’t forget that Sergio Garcia brought a six-stroke lead into the final day four years ago and didn’t win - and there’s a shortage of juice.

That’s largely because the names at the top of the leader board are about as familiar as your second cousin.

You’ve heard of them, seen them around a few places but you really don’t know a whole lot about them.

This weekend was supposed to be about Phil Mickelson and Jim Furyk and Vijay Singh and Adam Scott and all those guys who do commercials, endorse clubs and live just outside Tiger Woods’ orbit.

It may still be.

Stewart Cink and Pat Perez proved Saturday that there are low numbers to be posted at Quail Hollow and somebody is likely to throw something gaudy on the board early Sunday afternoon to get the attention of the players in front of him.

Golf gets tougher the later you play on Sunday.

For Kim, this a huge moment. He had a chance to win the Verizon Heritage two weeks ago but couldn’t keep his mind in the same place his body was. As he put it, he was on the first hole and thinking about the second hole.

You don’t have to be a sports psychologist to know that’s not the way you go about things.

But that’s what experience does for you and Kim got some valuable experience when he watched Boo Weekley beat him at Harbour Town.

Heath Slocum is part of the Milton, Fla., gang - with Weekley and Bubba Watson - but he doesn’t get the attention. He also, as far as I can tell, doesn’t chew tobacco on the course like Boo sometimes does.

Jason Bohn has just one win in his career but he’s been playing nicely for a while.

If somebody is going to run down Kim, it might be Cink who has been one of the tour’s best players this year but hasn’t won. He could have been down the road after Friday - he was 5 over after 12 holes in the first round - but he gave himself a lecture during the first round and he has a chance to win today.

Tournaments don’t end on Saturday.

That’s what Sundays are for.

Ron Green Jr.

What's in store Friday at Wachovia Championship?

Now that the first round of the Wachovia Championship is done - as are David Duval, Steve Stricker and Mike Weir this week - we have a hint of how the story might unfold this weekend.

But just a hint.

Interesting questions hang over Friday’s second round. Among them:

How will David Toms play after his opening 67, which surprised even him?
Back problems have bothered Toms this year, but he’s a tough player who might find some good vibes here. He might not win - he acknowledged that - but I’m guessing he hangs in among the leaders for a while.

Is this Phil Mickelson’s year at the Wachovia?
A lot of people would like to think so. He has more top-10 finishes here than any player that hasn’t won a blue jacket and his opening 68 reinforced the sense that Phil is energized about a refreshed putting stroke.

The biggest question about Mickelson is did he really grow an inch over the past couple of years due to his stretching exercises? That’s his story and he’s sticking to it.

How about Trevor Murphy?
Even before the Charlotte 49ers senior shot 71 in the first round, he was a good story. Now he has a realistic chance to make the cut. Shows what confidence means to a golfer.

Will the course get tougher?
Probably. It will definitely get drier which means the greens will firm up. The fairways probably can’t get as fast as officials would like them but Quail Hollow showed some teeth Thursday afternoon when the wind started kicking around.

What will Friday afternoon be like?
You tell me. It’s going to be 80 degrees and sunny. Phil Mickelson and Fred Couples are going to be on the course. There will be cocktails, golf and sundresses.
There are worse places you could be.

Mickelson mingles with the masses

Phil Mickelson had finished the bulk of his day's work Thursday, signing for a 4-under par 68 that left him one stroke off the early first-round lead in the Wachovia Championship and he had handled a quick group of radio and television interviews outside the clubhouse.

Before lunch and before a visit to the media center, Mickelson grabbed a Sharpie from his back pocket and walked over to where a couple hundred fans had squeezed themselves close to an iron railing, hoping to get a moment and a signature from him.

He could have ducked inside, relaxed in the leather furniture inside the locker room and left the world outside. But Mickelson took the time to go sign as many caps and tickets and programs as he could. It's part of what Mickelson does and a big reason why he's popular in a different way than Tiger Woods is.

Mickelson smiled and chatted with the fans, including a man named Dee Hunt, who had found himself in the line of fire when Phil's tee shot went left off the fifth tee. The ball caught Hunt between the shoulders and fell down in the left rough.

"He had a good lie in the rough but it came off my shoulder," Hunt said.

Mickelson had already taken a moment to sign his white glove -- "Sorry, Phil Mickelson," it said -- and given it to Hunt.

For 10 minutes, Mickelson stood and signed for others, talking, bringing a few laughs, having a good time with his fans.

He was one shot off the lead, feeling good about his game again and happy to be Phil.

Mickelson's arrival delayed by tragedy

Checking out the scene at the Wachovia Championship:

-- Phil Mickelson’s arrival in Charlotte was delayed Tuesday for a tragic reason. Mary Lou Morton, the wife of Mickelson’s pilot Ted Morton, was killed in an auto accident near Phoenix early Tuesday.

Mickelson was scheduled to arrive mid-afternoon Tuesday but instead isn’t expected until later Tuesday evening. He will tee off at 7:30 a.m. Wednesday in the pro-am.

-- Charlotte 49ers golfer Trevor Murphy had his clothes packed for a weekend trip to Orlando to join his teammates in the Atlantic 10 championship.

Instead, Murphy is in the Wachovia Championship after winning a two-hole playoff with Paul Claxton for the final spot in the qualifying event that concluded Tuesday morning at Firethorne.

“It’s always been a dream of mine to play in a tour event but it’s come a little sooner than I expected,” said Murphy, who shot 69 in the qualifier then won the playoff with a par on the second extra hole.

Murphy said he felt conflicted about missing the conference tournament with the 49ers, who are expected to challenge for the national championship later this spring. However, coach Jamie Green encouraged his players to set high expectations and had no problem with Murphy delivering.

“It’s good for Trevor and good for our program for people to see how strong our team is,” Green said.

Walking around Quail Hollow Tuesday afternoon, Murphy was still coming to grips with what had happened.

“It’s very cool,” he said.

-- Brandt Snedeker is still being asked about his difficult finish in the Masters nearly three weeks ago and he’s still smiling about how people have continued to react to it.

Snedeker even called it “that debacle” and said Tom Watson, who had his own share of heartbreaks in major championships early in his career, called to talk about what happened.

“We talked for half an hour,” said Snedeker, who was a big Watson fan growing up. “Probably one of the highlights of my life was having him tell me he watched the round on Sunday and tried to help me out there.

“It made me feel like I had somebody to talk to about it and he told me if I had any more questions to call him. He’s probably going to change his number because I’ll call him so much.”

Tiger: Surgery planned win or lose at Masters

Tiger Woods said he knew for "a couple of months" that he would undergo knee surgery this year and the question was whether he would have the procedure before or after the Masters.

"The only decision was do you miss the Masters or play in the Masters?" Woods said on his website Friday. "I decided to play. Even if I had won, I still would have had the surgery."

Woods is the defending champion of the Wachovia Championship but will be unable to participate because of the knee surgery performed 11 days ago.

He said his left knee had been "bugging me" for a while. Doctors have told him he should be able to play golf again in four to six weeks, but nothing is certain.

Woods said he will determine his schedule by what his doctors tell him.

He hosted his annual Tiger Jam event in Las Vegas last weekend and was on crutches there. Woods said he is off crutches now but wearing a knee brace and hopes to begin his rehabilitation process soon.

"I’ve definitely been playing in pain, but that's not why I didn't win at Augusta," Woods said. "I just never got comfortable with my putting stroke. Obviously, it was frustrating because I hit the ball well enough to win. It was just one of those things."

Expect firm, fast Quail Hollow

When the PGA Tour arrives at the Quail Hollow Club next week, players may find a slightly different course set-up for the Wachovia Championship.

The intent is to trim the rough but make the greens firmer and faster than they have been in previous years. With shorter rough, players who miss fairways will still be able to reach greens but will have more of a challenge when they get there.

Tour officials have actually slowed the green speeds down at Quail Hollow from what the members sometimes play. This year, however, they’re expected to add speed and firmness to the putting surfaces.

To get the course where they want it, tour officials will need some help from the weather. It looks now as if any rain that comes will be gone by late Monday, which should allow for the course to dry out by Thursday. It helps that Quail Hollow has a Sub-Air system which pulls excess moisture out of its greens.

There was some concern in recent weeks that Quail Hollow’s conditioning had been slow to come around. It’s made a dramatic improvement over the past two weeks and will be in very good shape for the Wachovia Championship.

There are some spotty places in the rough where the rye grass overseed was impacted by the drought but, otherwise, Quail Hollow looks great.

Couples commits to play at Quail Hollow

Fred Couples, one of the most popular players on the PGA Tour, has committed to play in the Wachovia Championship next week at the Quail Hollow Club.

It will be Couples' first appearance in the tournament since the inaugural event in 2003 when he was among the leaders for two days before back problems flared up.

The tournament has also received commitments from 2007 Masters champion Zach Johnson and 2003 Wachovia winner David Toms, further enhancing an already strong field.

Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Trevor Immelman, Vijay Singh, Jim Furyk, Sergio Garcia and Steve Stricker are among the players in the field at Quail Hollow next week.

-- Ron Green Jr.

Weekley plays what's my line

Boo Weekley doesn’t have an entourage.

He probably doesn’t even know what an entourage is, which is another reason to like him.

He did have a handful of friends and family members waiting on him Sunday night after he’d won his second straight Verizon Heritage championship and, from the looks of things, they seemed ready for a big time. The friends, anyway.

His mother, Patsy, was there as she had been all week, enjoying the sunshine, the hospitality and a second victory by her son who has become the new prince of the South Carolina lowcountry.

At the Masters, Boo did a daily diary for the Augusta newspaper about his first Masters experience. Last week, Patsy Weekley did a diary for the Hilton Head newspaper about her Harbour Town experience.

Asked which was better, Boo said his mother’s was because “she knows how to spell.”

Boo seems to just roll along like a river he’d like to drop a line in.

“This golf is a crazy game,” Boo said Sunday evening, explaining that he hoped to play a while longer then get out so he can hunt and fish, which is what he really likes to do.

Boo is one of the best things to happen to the PGA Tour since private jets.

He’s a guy who likes to stand on the practice tee and tell hunting and fishing stories. He was telling one last week about some guys shooting armadillos and he seems wonderfully unaffected by his celebrity.

In interviews, he still says yes, sir and yes, ma’am to questioners and if any of his act is put on, he’s a better actor than Daniel Day-Lewis.

He’s funny without trying. In his media session Sunday evening, he was wearing his tartan champion’s jacket and pointed out that when he won last year, tournament officials gave him a jacket for the ceremony. Boo discovered fortune cookies in the pocket.

Of course he did.

And it’s golf’s good fortune that Boo isn’t quite ready to go hunting and fishing full time just yet.

Boo is scary-good at Hilton Head

Ain’t Boo Weekley great?

I mean, really, is there a better, more genuine personality in professional golf - any sport for that matter - than the stocky guy from Milton, Fla., whose mama is spending the week with him at the Verizon Heritage?

I don’t think so.

The funny thing about Boo is he’s street smart for a guy who probably hasn’t spent much time in the streets. Maybe he’s dirt-road smart.

He has a clear vision of his world, who he is and what he’s doing.

Two days into this Heritage, Boo looks like he’s trying to replace Davis Love III as the prince of Harbour Town. Boo won here last year and now he’s at the top of the leader board again despite violating the basic rule of golf around Harbour Town by hitting most of his tee shots semi-sideways.

But if there’s a man in the field who knows his way around trees, it’s Boo. You get the sense that if he could hunt or fish for a living, he’d be doing it.

Other tour players endorse banks and car makers. Boo wears the logo of a company that makes camoflague attire. It’s a perfect marriage.

When Boo hit the ceremonial tee shot into the Calibogue Sound Monday - wearing his champion’s tartan blazer and serenaded by a booming cannon after parading in - he called it “marching around some lagoon.”

His mother, Patsy, played with him in the Wednesday pro-am and outdrove him on one hole, which chapped him a little bit.

After his 64 Friday morning, Boo has played six competive rounds at Harbour Town and never shot higher than 69. He might win here again this year.

It wouldn’t surprise him.

Boo said he started thinking about winning as soon as he got here.

He’s smart that way.

Life happens, even to Tiger

The news that Tiger Woods will miss the Wachovia Championship because of knee surgery is an undeniable disappointment on a couple of levels.

The most obvious reason is he’s Tiger and when he’s in town, it changes everything. Being the defending champion, it was a foregone conclusion he’d be back at Quail Hollow this year but now he’ll be missing for the second time in three years because of a personal issue.

Life happens, even to Tiger.

If you’re hurt, you’re hurt and the knee has apparently been bothering Tiger for a while now. He kept it quiet, though.

At the Masters, there was no hint, not a whisper he was planning to get his knee worked on. Insiders were blindsided by the news when it broke late Tuesday.

Beyond the impact locally, it’s disappointing that Tiger will be sidelined for up to six weeks, which means he’ll also miss The Players. Consider the roll he’s been on – he has nine wins and four seconds in his last 13 starts – and it means everything is put on hold for a while.

As for the Wachovia Championship, it will still be full of glitter. The field is loaded again and once tournaments start, you tend to forget about who’s not there and focus on who is there.

Phil Mickelson will be there. So will Sergio Garcia, Vijay Singh, Trevor Immelman, Jim Furyk, Davis Love III, Brandt Snedeker and pretty much everyone else you want to see.

And, it’s safe to say, Tiger will be back in the future.

Snedeker talks about his tears

Before walking into the media center for a pre-tournament interview at the Verizon Heritage Tuesday, Brandt Snedeker jokingly asked his agent to make sure there was a box of tissues nearby in case he started crying again.

Snedeker endeared himself to a universe of golf fans Sunday when after shooting 77 in the final round of a Masters he might have won, he couldn’t stop the tears while talking about his experience.

With his long blond hair curling out from under his visor and the emotion of a churning week written on his face, Snedeker finally had to bury his face in the towel on his shoulders when the tears unexpectedly hit.

The funny thing is Snedeker was thrilled with his Masters week, finishing tied for third there.

"I didn’t want anyone to think I was crying over spilled milk or something like that," Snedeker said. "I was emotional because I came so close to living out one of my dreams and I wasn’t able to do it."

Snedeker said he couldn’t remember the last time he cried and said he understood exactly how Len Mattiace felt when he cried after losing the 2003 Masters to Mike Weir in a playoff.

"I realize why he was crying like a 16-year old girl whose prom date didn’t show up," Snedeker said.

He’s fine, really he is. In fact, Snedeker is a good bet to contend at Harbour Town this week.

"I love this place," he said.
And he was smiling.

Hits and misses from the Masters

The good:
-- Masters moon pies. I even heard people in the concession line saying they had been asked by friends to bring some home. It’s a better deal than having to buy someone a golf shirt.
-- Brandt Snedeker. He didn’t win, but it was his first time contending for a major championship. With his game and his personality, Snedeker is one of the game’s new stars and looks like he’ll be around a long time. Plus, he plays fast, which is a bonus.
-- The azaleas. I have to mention them. It’s almost law when you’re at the Masters. They had a terrific week.
-- Trevor Immelman. Start to finish, he was the best player at Augusta National this week.
-- Ian Poulter’s pink and white golf shoes.
-- The old guys – Sandy Lyle and Ian Woosnam – both of whom made the cut.
The bad:
-- Masters memories. This was a decent Masters, but not one that people will be talking about for years, unless they’re related to Immelman.
-- Tiger’s miss at the par-5 13th on Sunday. Just when you thought he was ready to make his move – with Immelman in trouble at the 12th – he yanked his 5-foot birdie putt, missing one you never expect him to miss.
-- Paul Casey. A chorus or two of "Sunday, Bloody, Sunday" for Mr. Casey. He was two off the lead after the third hole and then he was gone, losing six strokes over the next five holes. That’s going to leave a mark.
-- Ernie Els. Sergio Garcia.
-- Hearing a concession stand attendant barking "Last call for alcohol, last call for alcohol" as 4 p.m. approached one afternoon. That’s when beer sales are cut off at the Masters but never in such a barmaid kind of way. It was, for sure, an isolated – and unauthorized – incident.

Tiger's going to end dreaded majors streak some day ... maybe Sunday

As every golf fan with at least a swoosh for brains knows, Tiger Woods has never won a major championship when he didn’t start the final round with at least a share of the lead.

Like that’s a bad thing.

He’s won 13 majors already, so it’s getting a little touchy to point out that he’s always been ahead on Sunday when he’s done it. Well, duh.

But because there are practically no other ‘negatives’ on Woods’ record, the coming-from-behind-to-win-a-major one comes up every time he hasn’t already won the tournament by Saturday evening.

And, by the way, Tiger knows. He keeps getting reminded about it, like he did again Saturday afternoon after playing his way into the rear-view mirror of Trevor Immelman and Paul Casey.

What does it mean? Not much.

One of these days, maybe Sunday, Woods is going to shoot 64 or 65 in the final round and win a major we had conceded to someone else. But that’s not easy to do, even if you are Tiger Woods.

If the worse thing that can be said of Woods is that he hasn’t come from behind to win a major, he’ll be able to live with it. But I’m guessing he won’t have to say that forever.

And imagine what it’ll be like when he does.

Mickelson lurking ...

Everyone who thinks Trevor Immelman is going to win the Masters raise your hand.
Brandt Snedeker?
Phil Mickelson?
Now we’re getting somewhere.
And what about Tiger Woods?
You want to say he can’t win – I’m tempted to say it – but you can’t say it yet. He’s seven strokes back but he’s in 13th place with two rounds to play and it’s not as if the Hall of Fame is in front of him.

Sure, Mickelson’s there and he’s not going anywhere. But Ian Poulter hasn’t proven he can win a major – and who knows what he’ll wear with the green jacket if he does win.
Stephen Ames?
He doesn’t like the place. Bad karma doesn’t win the Masters.
Paul Casey? Hmmmm…
Steve Flesch? He didn’t think he could make the cut before this thing started.

So with two potentially wind-blown rounds remaining, we still aren’t quite sure what to make of this Masters.
Tiger could have played himself totally out of it Friday but he didn’t. He stayed just close enough to make us wonder if he’ll win. I hope he’s close enough going into Sunday to make us think he can win, too.

Mickelson looks ominous. He’s been almost under the radar so far and he’s 5-under, three off the lead. Everybody likes to compare Lefty to Arnie in his prime and we all know Arnie won in even numbered years – 1958, 1960, 1962 and 1964. Well, Mickelson won in 2004 and 2006 and you know what year this is.

But we’re just halfway there. We’ll know a lot more when Saturday evening comes.

Masters experience 'just a dream' for Wagner

If you needed to be reminded of how special the Masters is to golfers, the smile on Johnson Wagner's face at lunch time Friday told you.

Charlotte's new PGA Tour star appeared to be safely inside the cut-line at 2-over-par 146, having recovered from a potentially disastrous triple-bogey on the first hole.

For the second straight day, Wagner played the back nine well - he's 5-under par in two trips around the back side - and for the fifth straight day he was having a blast.

"I'm so fired up," said Wagner, who had family members drive from Richmond to Augusta with a brief overnight stop in Charlotte.

If Wagner can figure out how to handle the greens on the front side - he's had five 3-putts on the first three holes so far - he could make some noise over the weekend.

He made one serious mistake Friday - hitting his tee shot on the first hole so far to the right that a marshal told Wagner "I've never seen one over here before."

After making a seven, Wagner could have been playing himself home for the weekend, but he made a nice recovery.

"It's just a dream," Wagner said when asked if he's feeling worn down from the swirl his life has become since his victory in Houston on Sunday. "I'm not going to be tired this week."

-Ron Green Jr.

Worldwide Leader meets Masters mystique

There has been great consternation – OK, maybe some questions – among those who consider the Masters and all of its traditions holy about how ESPN will handle its new role as television host of the first two rounds, plus Wednesday’s par-3 event.

The Masters doesn’t do hype.

Sometimes, it seems, that’s all that ESPN does.

But in hoping to expand its global reach, the Masters signed on with The Worldwide Leader for weekday coverage.

It didn’t come without some serious discussions, basically from club chairman Billy Payne, who made it clear that he didn’t want any boo-yahs or nicknames or self-indulgence from ESPN.

To that end, the network is using the CBS talent except for host Mike Tirico, who will handle the role the too blustery for golf Chris Berman typically handles at the U.S. Open. Payne insisted he was not involved in the process of determining which announcers ESPN will use this week.

On a similar point, Gary McCord has said several times that it is not Augusta National’s decision that keeps him out of the CBS broadcast this week. Rather, he has chosen not to be part again to avoid the hullabaloo that would surround his return after his infamous ‘bikini wax’ remark many years ago.

The Masters is changing with the world while doing an admirable job of retaining its old-style charm. You can watch Amen Corner on-line if you wish or even play a computer putting game on the tournament’s website.

Payne admitted Wednesday there has been some consideration of licensing a video game. It would, of course, be Augusta National’s own game, not one incorporated into anyone else’s game.

For most of the world, the Masters will be seen through the ESPN lens these next two days. The network went the warm and cuddly route Wednesday, featuring the kids during its par-3 coverage. I’m guessing it will work hard to do right by the Masters and what the tournament – and the viewers – want.

Let me know what you think of ESPN’s coverage.

Masters Moon Pies? Only in Augusta

There are certain things you can get only at the Masters.

The green jacket. Shirts and caps with the familiar Augusta National logo.

And, now, an official Masters Moon Pie.

That delicacy, two chocolate covered graham cracker rounds sandwiching marshmallow cream, has been added to the concession menu this year. They’re small, two for $1.

I ask you – how uppity can a place be if it serves Moon Pies?

It’s the perfect complement to a classic Masters lunch of an egg salad sandwich, potato chips and a Coke. (It’s a Coke place, not Pepsi because Coke helped get this thing rolling many years ago).

The Wachovia Championship in Charlotte has a stand where fresh crepes are cooked, stuffed with all kinds of good, gooey things. Starbucks coffee is available. The barbecue is good enough to make Donald Trump smile.

There’s even Wachovia Championship lip balm (at least in the players’ locker room). But there’s no official Wachovia Championship Moon Pie. Maybe Charlotte’s tournament can sell its own version of S’mores.

It’s not just Moon Pies the Masters has added.

This year, the potato chips are official Masters potato chips. They’re in little bags and have the Masters logo on the front. The green ones are regular chips, orange are barbecue.

The chips and the Moon Pies are only available at Augusta National. But that doesn’t mean you can’t get some for yourself.

I’m just guessing here but keep an eye on e-bay. Someone’s sure to offer Masters Moon Pies soon.

Feherty just happy to be here

Among the dozens of people standing under the big oak tree behind the Augusta National clubhouse Tuesday was David Feherty.

And no one was happier to be there.

Several weeks ago, Feherty – who will be back at work dispensing his unique blend of wit and wisdom on the CBS telecast this weekend – was hit by a truck while riding his bike and suffered serious injuries.

Ribs were broken, a lung was punctured, a shoulder was damaged and a life was nearly lost.

Fortunately, Feherty survived even if everything isn’t exactly where it used to be.

“See this lump on my shoulder?” Feherty asked, pointing to his left shoulder. “It’s supposed to be beside this lump but they’re about an inch and a half apart right now.”

There was a bandage wrapped around his left elbow where he’s still having problems and it’s uncomfortable to move – but not as uncomfortable as before.

Feherty will be in a tower this week rather than walking Augusta National’s many hills. He will, however, have to climb a ladder to his seat, and that won’t be easy.

Only one thing worries Feherty these days – pollen.

And once the promised sunshine and warm weather pulls the dampness out of Augusta National, the pollen will be back.

“I live in fear of the sneeze,” Feherty said.

At least he lives.

First three days of Masters a treat for fans

The first three days of Masters week are so much different than the four days when the tournament is actually being played.

Even the players are different.

There’s a practice-round tradition that has developed over the years where the players try to skip shots across the pond on the par-3 16th hole. It’s the ultimate hit-and-giggle moment with fans counting the skips and cheering the shots that reach dry land.


Though there’s serious work being done by the players while they’re playing practice rounds, the edge is gone. They’ll stop for photos – cameras are allowed Monday through Wednesday – and occasionally a player will pull someone from the gallery to do something with them.

Though there are no official numbers, there are more people on the property early in the week than during tournament rounds. Somehow, almost all of them manage to squeeze onto the par-3 course on Wednesday afternoon.


One of the great treats if you’re at Augusta National on Wednesday is the freedom to walk around the course in the afternoon. Players must be off the course by early afternoon, which means most of the patrons have gone to the par-3 event, leaving the course open for a stroll that allows you to stop and look at the place without trying to see over the heads of four people in front of you.

Then there’s the merchandise building. Most tournaments have a tent. The Masters has a big permanent building selling everything from shirts to caps to baby clothes. The tournament could make millions more if it sold its merchandise online, but officials have said for years they want the patrons to have access to something others can’t get.

Especially early in the week, the lines can be extremely long getting into the merchandise building. There are even signs outside telling the shoppers how long the wait from various points in the line.

But it’s like a Disney store for golfers. It’s not unusual to see someone walking out with eight or 10 hats, half a dozen shirts and several golf towels. Christmas is still eight months away but a lot of gifts are bought here this week.


And why not?

It’s the Masters, and like Christmas, it only happens once a year.

First local PGA Tour winner in 20 years

When Johnson Wagner won the Shell Houston Open Sunday, he did more than earn himself a tee time Thursday in the Masters.

He became the first Charlotte resident to win a PGA Tour event in more than 20 years. Jay Haas lived here in the early 1980s when he picked up a couple of victories before moving to Greenville, S.C. Prior to Haas, you had to go back to Clayton Heafner's days in the 1940s and 1950s to find a Charlotte-based tour winner.

Wagner moved here two years ago after a breakout season on the Nationwide Tour. After leading wire to wire at Houston last week, he redefined his career.

Not only did Wagner play himself into the Masters this week while earning a $1.08-million check, he landed a spot in the Mercedes Championship at Kapalua next January plus better tee times as a tour winner.

That means Wagner might finally play with Tiger Woods, who he's seen plenty but not yet played with.

Wagner said Sunday evening that he had felt his game coming around in recent weeks, after working with his teacher, Bobby Hines, in Florida. The payoff came in a huge way.

Most impressive was how Wagner handled himself while trying to win his first tour event. He was nervous -- it was obvious watching him -- but you're supposed to be nervous when you're trying to win, especially the first time.

He didn't let a three-putt bogey at the 14th shake him and he kept making good swings and smart plays. The 11-foot par putt he holed at the 17th after a poor first putt probably sealed the tournament for him.

Wagner's victory also reinforced the decision by Masters officials to reinstate the rule that gives a spot to PGA Tour winners. It was part of the intrigue Sunday afternoon, knowing Wagner was playing for more than just a championship.

And when the Wachovia Championship rolls around in less than a month, Charlotte will have its own hometown guy among the favorites.

Masters picks who aren't Tiger or Phil

As an official member of the golf media, there are certain rules that must be obeyed.

One is to never wear an article of clothing that includes the logo of the tournament you’re currently covering (i.e. wearing Shell Houston Open attire at the Shell Houston Open is, to use a golf term, out of bounds though it’s well within the rules at, say, the Memorial Tournament).

There are only two exceptions to the logo rule.

One goes into effect next week where it is officially OK to wear Masters stuff at the Masters because, well, it’s the Masters and the rules are just different there.

The second exception is if you spill enough mustard on your regular shirt and you have to go buy a shirt, that’s OK - but only for a couple of hours.

Then there’s the rule about no cheering in the press room, which is standard operating procedure anywhere scribblers and mini-cams gather for a contest. The idea is to be fair and impartial, or at least pretend to be.

However, we all have our soft spots (or most of us do anyway), which leads to this list of players I would love to see win the Masters next week. I have not included Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson because everyone wants to see them in the final pairing on Sunday and they’re on every list anyway.

Feel free to chime in with your own list if you want (I know there’s a spot to do that if you make it to the bottom of this blog and are computer savvy enough to add a comment).

Here’s my list of five guys I’d like to see win this year and yes, it would include Davis Love III if he were eligible. As a matter of full disclosure, every year that the Augusta Chronicle newspaper has asked me to pick a winner (it asks a lot of writers), I’ve picked Davis, explaining that’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

5. Sean O’Hair: We’re all familiar with the story of his abusive father and how O’Hair emerged as a genuinely good guy with a ton of talent. We keep looking for the best young American player and it could be O’Hair. And the way Augusta brings out the emotion, imagine the story of him winning.

4. Charles Howell III: The hometown kid has been good but not great so far. In fairness, he didn’t have any warm-up time. He arrived on the PGA Tour with enormous expectations thrust upon him and he’s built a solid but not yet spectacular career. We’re still waiting for the big moment and they don’t get any bigger than the Masters, especially for a kid from Augusta.

3. Fred Couples: I know he’s already won the Masters but that was 16 years ago and Freddie is in the twilight of his golf life now. He teased us two years when he played with Mickelson in the final pairing but Freddie’s putter killed him. Couples is one of those guys women want to be with and men want to be like. One more Masters for Freddie would be the best.

2. Ernie Els: It’s hard to feel bad for a guy who has homes around the world, a private jet, three major championships, a good family, a beautiful life and a golf swing like Ernie’s but you can’t help but feel a touch of regret that he doesn’t have a green jacket. Mickelson pierced him in 2004 after Ernie played a great back nine on Sunday and he’s had more near misses than storm chasers. If anyone’s ever been due, it’s Ernie.

1. Boo Weekley: Do I have to explain?

Monty blames TV for Masters absence

Leave it to Colin Montgomerie, everybody's favorite twit, to explain to the world that it's the fault of Asian television markets and Masters officials -- not his own declining golf game -- that he won't be at Augusta National next week.

Monty failed to qualify for the Masters this year, unable to meet any of the many qualifying standards and his absence from Augusta became official this week when he wasn't among the top 50 in the world rankings, his last possible way to qualify since he's not playing the Shell Houston Open.

Rather than blame his game -- had he been able to slap a 7-iron on the 18th green at Winged Foot and two-putt for par on the 72nd hole of the 2006 U.S. Open none of this would be an issue -- Monty chose to point out that Masters officials are more worried about their television ratings in China, India and Thailand than they are about him. Augusta officials chose not to offer Montgomerie a special exemption, something they do on a selective basis for international players.

"There has been no call from Augusta and I am not expecting one," Montgomerie said in Munich this week where he was promoting a European Tour event.

"Now, if I were the only person in the country, à la China, I might get in. It is a strange way to make up a field for a Major championship - television rights. They are quite open about why. They were when I missed out last time in 2005 when they picked Shingo Katayama who was 67th in the world and I was 51st. They picked him over me for the Japanese rights. And they have done the same with Thailand and China this time.

"I am not the only one who feels that way and not just because I am not in. In or not I'd be saying the same thing. It is a strange criterion to pick a major field.

"The Masters is the only one you can get invited to. At the Open, the U.S. Open and the U.S. PGA you have to qualify. But the Masters have their own rules so we will leave them to it. It would be easier to swallow if no one was invited and it was done on sporting and not commercial criteria."

That is, more or less, the fully Monty on why he won't be in Augusta. Like it's the fault of Jeev Milka Singh or Prayad Marksaeng or Liang Wen-hong, each of whom did receive special exemptions and, in case they're asked, can offer the results of various tournaments in which they've beaten Monty this year.

Masters chairman Billy Payne has made no secret that he believes the tournament can expand golf's global reach and if using exemptions to raise the profile in Thailand and China helps, there's nothing wrong with that.

Payne could have offered Monty an exemption but he didn't. Monty had plenty of opportunities to play his way into the Masters but he didn't. And, for the record, the U.S. and British Opens offer special exemptions, not just the Masters.

I'm a fan of Monty's. He can be prickly and there's an almost cartoon quality to him when he feels aggrieved. He was unfairly picked upon by American fans for years and he absolutely deserves a spot in the World Golf Hall of Fame though he's never won a major and probably never will.

At least now Monty has one less thing to worry about in the future. There won't be any special invitations arriving in the mail from the Masters.

No (Davis) Love for the Masters?

Davis Love III has one more week -- this week -- to qualify to play in the Masters.

All he has to do is win the Shell Houston Open.

In other words, it looks like Love's streak of 70 consecutive starts in major championships will end unless he can duplicate his 1995 magic when he won in New Orleans the week before the Masters to qualify at the last minute.

Love isn't the only familiar name who is outside the Masters looking in.

Chris DiMarco, who has three career top-10s at Augusta National and pushed Tiger Woods to extra holes in 2005, is already out. His game has disappeared and DiMarco isn't playing in Houston this week, meaning there's no chance he'll be at the Masters.

Lucas Glover also needs to win this week not just to get in the Masters but to jump start a lousy season. Glover, who many expected would be a part of this Ryder Cup team, has had a flat start this year. At Bay Hill, Glover said he needed one good round when the putts started falling to change his attitude and get things going. He shot 66 there but nothing changed.

Tom Lehman and Chad Campbell are also going to miss the Masters if they don't win this week.

On the other side, there's Peter Lonard, who didn't realize when he made a 5-foot par putt on the 72nd hole at New Orleans Sunday that it got him in the Masters. The putt gave Lonard just enough world ranking points to crack the top 50, which comes with a Masters invitation if you're in that exclusive club as of March 30.

Charlotte golf history gathers

A sizeable portion of Charlotte’s golf history was gathered Tuesday at Cedarwood Country Club, where organizers of the new City Amateur championship held a kickoff event that brought together 18 former city champions.

Bill Williamson, winner of the first City Am 50 years ago, was there along with former winners David Strawn, Skip Dunaway, Johnny Elam, Joe Jaspers, Xan Law, Don Littlejohn and others.

Photos were taken, stories were told and the original trophy – now 50 years old – was named for former Observer columnist and golf writer Ron Green Sr.

Though entries won’t be accepted until June 1, there appears to be great interest in the reborn event, which will be played at Cedarwood, Carmel Country Club and Charlotte Country Club Aug. 15-17.

Qualifiers will be held at Pine Island, Skybrook and Charlotte Golf Links.
For tournament information, visit www.charlottecityam.com.

Spring's most unwelcome golf holes

I was driving past Providence Country Club Monday afternoon when I noticed the single most undeniable sign that the spring golf season has arrived.

They were aerating the greens.

The putting surface had disappeared under a layer of little plugs pulled from the ground. Then, after the plugs had been moved away, the once slick, green surface was covered by enough sand to make you wonder if it’s a penalty to ground your putter on the green.

The weather forecast for later this week is as sweet as Stephen Curry’s jump shot and all around the area greens are being aerated. Bummer.

That means for the two weeks after the aeration is complete the greens will be slower than lines at the DMV and just about as pretty.

It’s a necessary evil – like going to the dentist – but there’s never a good time to have the greens punched.

It doesn’t mean golfers will quit playing. Some will take a break or find someplace where the aeration calendar is set differently, but eventually the lure overwhelms us all and we go back out there, thinking the greens won’t be too bad.

We’ll be wrong, of course, but golfers – despite our tendency to think the golf gods have it in for us – keep a curious optimism. How else you explain the guy who’s just chopped his drive 125 yards waiting for the green to clear 240 yards away before hitting his next shot?

One good thing about playing on recently aerated greens – it’s easier to explain away your three-putts.

Woods with 12 straight? Here's how...

I’ve long contended that the most unbreakable record in sports is Byron Nelson’s streak of 11 consecutive PGA Tour victories set in 1945. It may not last the summer.

Was there any real doubt Sunday afternoon as Tiger stood over the 24-foot birdie putt to win the Arnold Palmer Invitational that he was going to make it? Arnie himself was standing behind the green and told the person he was standing with that Tiger was going do what Tiger seems to always do.

Johnny Miller hinted at it on television when he pointed out that Tiger had not made a putt longer than 18 feet all week and – boom – there it was. What we’re seeing is the essence of greatness. I didn’t think we’d ever see another run that came close to Tiger’s roll in 2000 and 2001 but this one may soon be as good. Tiger says he’s a better player now than then.

Want to argue with him? He’s won five tour events in a row and seven straight worldwide. Run the numbers out and he’s won nine of his last 10 tour starts. Not bad.

So where does he go from here? He’s the obvious favorite at the World Golf Championship at Doral this week, where he only wins when he tees it up. That’s No. 6.

Two weeks off and it’s the Masters. He hasn’t won there since 2005. Make it No. 7. Then two weeks off and he’s here for the Wachovia Championship. Who’s going to beat him? That’s No. 8. It gets dicey at No. 9.

You get the sense that Tiger doesn’t love The Players Championship, certainly not the way commissioner Tim Finchem wants him to love it. He’s won there, so it’s checked off his to-do list, but if you’re looking for a likely place he won’t win, the Stadium Course jumps out. But, the way he’s playing and to play this idea out, let’s give him No. 9.

Then it’s off to the Memorial where he can win No. 10 in front of Jack Nicklaus. Where does he get the record-tying No. 11? The U.S. Open at Torrey Pines. Count it.

I know it strains the imagination – even by Tiger standards – to think he could win 11 straight but he’s nearly halfway there. And if he got that far, what about No. 12? His tournament – the AT&T Classic – in Washington on Fourth of July weekend. Still think it can’t happen?

Another sad chapter to John Daly story

The John Daly story, which has become a series of increasingly sad chapters seemingly headed for an even sadder ending, took another twist Wednesday morning at Bay Hill when Big John missed his pro-am tee time for the Arnold Palmer Invitational.

Unless there are extenuating circumstances that excuse Daly’s absence from the first tee – that seems unlikely given his track record – he’s disqualified this week and in an even deeper mess than he’d already found himself for various misdeed including reports of a drunken weekend in Tampa just days ago.

Daly’s self-destructive tendencies appear to be in full flower – again.

That’s too bad.

But it’s not surprising.

And it’s become almost impossible to feel sorry for the guy.

Butch Harmon, who took on Daly as a student late last year, essentially fired Daly this week and ripped him in the process.

Harmon told Doug Ferguson of the Associated Press that Daly needs to “show me golf is the most important thing in his life … and the most important thing in his life is getting drunk.”

There were already reports that Daly was a mess at the Bob Hope Chrysler Classic earlier this year and now there are reports – and video evidence – of Daly getting hammered at a hospitality tent adjacent to Innisbrook last week after he missed the cut in the PODS Championship there.

On Friday, Daly ducked into the Hooters Owl Nest tent during a rain delay and emerged later with Tampa Bay Bucs coach Jon Gruden as his caddie. After missing the cut – something Daly does well these days if he makes it through 36 holes – he showed up Saturday at the Hooters tent again and spent his day drinking.

There is even a video showing Daly being Daly.

On a professional level, Daly is sure to get whacked pretty hard by the PGA Tour, though commissioner Tim Finchem declined to discuss specifics Wednesday until he’s had an opportunity to talk with Daly. A sledgehammer – and an extended vacation from the tour – would work nicely.

Daly is an embarrassment to himself and the PGA Tour.

On a personal level, he needs help. That’s been obvious for years.

What used to be endearing – there was a time when Daly’s flaws made him a blue-collar hero – has become ugly.

It’s hard to believe his story has a happy ending.

Palmer still picture-perfect in players' eyes

The fact that most of the best golfers in the world are at Bay Hill this week for the Arnold Palmer Invitational is, more than anything, a testament to the enduring affection they have for the host.

He roams the premises at Bay Hill, signs autographs and handles the tricky business of being a legend beautifully.

This little moment underscores what Palmer still means to the game and the people who play it:

After playing in a Monday pro-am he’d previously committed to, Sean O’Hair – who was just hours removed from winning the PODS Championship – asked if he could have his photo taken with Palmer.

Naturally, Palmer obliged.

“I think Mr. Palmer is … he brought the sport to what it is with the popularity of it, with what he achieved,” O’Hair said. “Basically, he was like Superman in golf. I kind of look at him like that.

“When I talked to him (Monday), I couldn’t tell you one thing he said. I can’t. But I just was in such awe of his presence. And you look into his eyes and it’s like, I don’t know, he’s just still got it in his eyes.

“You think of what he’s experienced and how cool it would be to experience the things he’s done. It’s amazing. I just kind of wanted a picture so I could show my grandkids one day.”

Isenhour birdies hawk

If police and eyewitness reports are true, Salisbury native Tripp Isenhour recently took out a hawk from a distance of about 75 yards with a well-placed golf shot when the bird refused to obey what amounted to a ‘Hush, y’all’ warning while he was taping a television show.

Know what the show is called?
‘Shoot Like A Pro.’

Truth again goes 1-up on fiction.
The incident happened in mid-December at Grand Cypress Golf Course in Orlando and Isenhour apparently got irked because the red-shouldered hawk kept forcing him to re-shoot scenes because it was doing whatever hawks do when they make noise. Eyewitnesses say Isenhour started firing golf balls at the bird 300 yards away but it wasn’t until the bird came closer, supposedly 75 yards, that Isenhour dropped it.

Now the law has charged the 39-year old with cruelty to animals and killing a migratory bird. If he’s found guilty, Isenhour could face 14 months in jail and $1,500 in fines.

Even worse, PETA will be on his case. As it should.
And I can’t imagine much worse than having PETA on your case.

If you’re not familiar with Isenhour, it’s probably because you’re not from Salisbury or Georgia Tech where he was an All-American in 1990. Isenhour was good enough to win twice on the Nationwide Tour in 2006 and earn himself a spot on the PGA Tour last year.

But he made just 14 cuts in 32 starts and wound up back on the Nationwide Tour this year.

Now he’s in a mess of trouble. If Isenhour did what he’s alleged to have done, the obvious question is why.

There’s no excuse.
But he probably knows that.
Now.

Slow play a problem at all levels

Near the end of his most recent newsletter, Tiger Woods raised the subject of slow play, suggesting that something serious be done about it on the PGA Tour.

Woods allowed that it’s a difficult subject and when a group falls behind the time clock, it’s probably not fair to penalize everyone when it’s typically one player’s fault.

Tiger conveniently left it to our imagination whether he was pointing a finger at J.B. Holmes, who not only nearly beat Woods in the first round of the recent Match Play Championship but nearly drove us all batty watching his fidgety and maddeningly prolonged pre-shot routine.

If that wasn’t Tiger’s intention, it should have been.

And he’s right, slow play continues to be a problem. Unfortunately, that’s nothing new. What would be new would be a more serious crackdown that resulted in quicker, more hard-hitting penalties than the various warnings and bad time citations now handed out on tour.

There’s nothing much more fun than hanging around a tee waiting 10 minutes for the group in front to clear out. Or, if you’re a spectator, watching a group of guys wait for the group in front to clear out.

One of the reasons cited in a recent New York Times story about the declining numbers of active golfers is the amount of time it takes to play 18 holes. Golf should never be a five-hour game but that’s what it’s become in too many places.

Adam Scott, who keeps getting mentioned as the game’s next great player, chimed in over the weekend, endorsing Woods’ suggestion for more severe penalties for clock chewers. Maybe if top players make enough noise, something more will happen.

Sadly, pace of play has become a problem at all levels. There’s no reason for double-digit handicappers to be pacing off yardage from sprinkler heads. They’re not good enough for it to matter, consistently.

The simple solution would be to have 100, 150 and 200-yard markers in the middle of fairways and on carth paths. That’s enough.

Speaking of cart paths, the worst words in golf today are ‘Carts On Path.’ That guarantees you’ll need a meal or a massage or both to get through 18 holes because it will take so long.

By the way, have you ever seen a course offer reduce rates for carts when they have to stay on the paths? Seems only fair.

Anyway, the point is Tiger has a point about slow play. Do I have the solution?

Not right now.

I need some time to work on it.

Is slow play a problem where you play? What should be done about it? Let us know in the comments section below.

Els on schedule for 8 Tour events

Sorting through the golf scene:

• Ernie Els is booked to play eight PGA Tour events starting this week at the Honda Classic through The Players Championship in mid-May (unfortunately, the Wachovia Championship is not on his schedule this year). It will be interesting to see if Els can finally win another tour event here. He’s in the second year of what he called a three-year plan to overtake Tiger Woods at No. 1. How’s that working out so far? Els hasn’t won a PGA Tour event since 2004 and he’s had a handful of serious meltdowns in events around the world. There are serious questions about whether he can still get it done like he once could. He may be asking those questions himself.
  

• The LPGA couldn’t have asked for a better start than having Annika Sorenstam and Paula Creamer win its first two events this year. It would be fun to see Sorenstam seriously challenge Lorena Ochoa for the No. 1 spot in the world again. If she can get back to No. 1, it would be as impressive as anything Sorenstam has done.
  

• With Fred Couples and Greg Norman as Presidents Cup captains in 2009, the event gave itself a nice PR boost. Now years past his prime, Couples remains a remarkably popular figure with fans – equally so with the players he’ll be leading – and Norman is an enormous personality who can’t help but attract attention. The Couples captaincy isn’t nearly as surprising as Norman agreeing to sign on to anything that has Tim Finchem’s hand involved. The Shark’s disagreements with the PGA Tour commissioner, which came to a boil after Finchem shot down Norman’s world tour idea then created the World Golf Championships, were thought to be too fractured for him to play the Presidents Cup game. But Norman made the right call when he accepted the invitation. Everybody wins.
  

Golf as it was meant to be

Tiger Woods had it right this week when he said match play golf is “an animal that’s all about the moment.”

That’s why it’s so compelling. Match-play golf changes shot to shot, hole to hole, unlike stroke-play golf which changes more slowly.

And, true to the nature of the maddening game, match-play golf can be terribly unfair.
Ask Phil Mickelson.

He made seven birdies and no bogeys in his second-round match against Stuart Appleby Thursday at the Accenture Match Play Championship - and he lost.

Appleby made nine birdies, giving Mickelson the weekend off despite the fact he’s won one tournament and lost another in a playoff in the past three weeks.

Match-play is cruel. Ask J.B. Holmes, who had Tiger all but beaten until Superman started putting into a bathtub again.

Americans have focused more on stroke play and playing against par than they do in Great Britain, where match-play is the favored form of golf. Designer Donald Ross, for example, didn’t put a par on the holes he designed because it seemed unimportant, especially in match play.

Match-play is why the Ryder Cup is so intriguing. Each hole, each match takes on its own life.

It’s fun. Isn’t that the point?

Dana Rader, Golfing with the Stars

Dana Rader and Alice Cooper?

Together?

It happened earlier this month when Rader was invited to be one of three instructor/coaches in the Michael Douglas And Friends celebrity tournament at Riviera Country Club in Los Angeles.
Rader replaced Butch Harmon as one of the three instructors/coaches in the event, joining Dean Reinmuth and Jim McLean.

It was a great compliment to Rader to be asked to particpate in the event, which will be shown on NBC June 10-11.

She spent the weekend in Los Angeles, taking limo rides to the course, doing voiceover hole descriptions for the telecast and giving a chipping lesson that will be shown during the broadcast.
Rader coached a four-play team that included Cooper, actors Martin Sheen and Kyle MacLaclin and young actress Emily Osment.

And Rader got some serious up-close time with a number of celebrities.

“One day I was sitting there having lunch with Morgan Freeman, Alice Cooper and Kenny G and I just kinda looked around and thought what am I doing here?” Rader said.

She was having a blast.

Rader attended a private cocktail party in a 22,000-square foot Hollywood Hills house owned by a major movie producer. She spent time with Michael Douglas and his wife, Catherine Zeta Jones, crossed paths with Heather Locklear and more, than a week later, is still bubbling about her experience.

Osment, the 15-year old co-star of Disney Channel’s ‘Hannah Montana’ show, impressed Rader with her game.

Cooper is “the nicest guy,” Rader said.

And Sheen, well, his game needs a little work, she said.

“But,” Rader added, “he’s so funny.”

So he has that going for him, which is nice.

Thanks to those who revived City Amateur

We owe the guys who brought the City Amateur golf tournament back to life a big thank you.

They remember the days when the City Am was the biggest tournament in Charlotte and how it annually drew the best players and gave us a sense of who might be the best amateur player here.

Though the tournament continued to be played until last year when it was mercifully not held, its soul had died years ago. It was played on the wrong golf courses, lost the interest of the best private-club players because of the sites and the fact it took more than five hours (on a good day) to play 18 holes drained the fun from it.

But with Braxton McLennan and Xan Law leading the way, the new City Am – Aug. 15-17 at Cedarwood, Carmel and Charlotte Country Clubs this year – will be better than ever.

The committee, which includes former champions David Strawn, Robbie Kirby and others, has put together an ideal format. It requires players to qualify and the field won’t be cluttered with flighted play. It’s every man for himself, straight up, with the field being cut after every round.

They’ve handled the little things that will make it feel like a big deal. Contestants will wear player badges. The $125 entry fee covers qualifying and the whole tournament if you qualify, including caddie fee at Charlotte if you’re among the 24 to make the final round.

Pace of play will be a primary consideration, the rules already state cell phones and blackberries will not be allowed and it will be run with a sense of style, not merely done to make money and run people around golf courses they don’t want to play.

The goal is to identify the best amateur in Charlotte and most of the best are expected to play, including Charlotte 49er Corey Nagy.

Reviving the City Am has been long overdue.

To the guys who’ve recreated it, thank you.

Well done.

Hurry if you want in at Quail Hollow

The announcement earlier this week that the Wachovia Championship is nearing a complete sellout didn’t come as any great surprise, except to the people who realized they waited too long to get tickets for this year’s event.

It has become routine for the Wachovia Championship to sell out, something it has done in its first five years and is days away from making official for a sixth time.

But it’s not routine, not in many other places where golf does very well but doesn’t sell out tournaments nearly three months before they’re played.

Outside of the major championships, there aren’t many PGA Tour events that sell out. Yes, the Wachovia Championship limits the number of tickets - to about 30,000 daily - but that’s a lot of people on a golf course.

Phoenix drew about 600,000 for the week this year but they’re playing a different game there, setting up bars and parties on site and turning the par-3 16th hole into a stadium. They let everyone in who wants to buy a ticket.

That’s not what the Wachovia Championship is after.

The tournament at Quail Hollow has hit all the right notes - it’s played on a beautiful, fan-friendly golf course, the ticket prices are reasonable, it comes at a perfect time of the year, the best players almost always play here and the tournament has become one of those places that people want to be.

As of Thursday, the only remaining tickets are a few Thursday tickets and practice packs for Monday through Wednesday (at this website).

What’s most impressive this year is that the tournament has made no announcements about which players are expected at Quail Hollow in early May.

It helps that Tiger Woods is the defending champion though he hasn’t officially announced he’s returning. He’ll be here, though.

It’s likely that Phil Mickelson, Adam Scott, Vijay Singh and most of the other stars will be at Quail Hollow, too, though the tournament hasn’t made any public announcements.

And, still, the tickets are almost gone.

Again.

It’s a nice problem to have.

Gap between Tiger, world widest ever?

Surveying the golf world while waiting for the fairways to dry out:

• Forget whatever the numbers are with the World Golf Rankings. Has the gap between Tiger Woods and everyone else ever been wider? I don't think so. And the gap isn't shrinking.
  

• The PGA Tour is reportedly considering changing to a 54-hole cut rather than a 36-hole cut in light of the controversy that continues over the new rule that makes it possible for players to technically make the cut after two rounds but not play the weekend. The cut rule, which seems certain to be adjusted in some way in the near future, has been a hot topic on tour and has been under official discussion in Los Angeles this week. Instead of low 70 and ties, the cut rule may go to the low 65 and ties, to shrink weekend fields.
  

• The people who've seen the new Charlotte Country Club are raving about it. The layout has been reworked in spots, it's been muscled up and a number of trees were removed, changing the look of the property. The U.S. Women's Amateur will be played there in two years and, it's a reasonable assumption, more significant events could be headed there in the future.

• Speaking of big events, Quail Hollow continues to quietly work toward landing a future PGA Championship and/or Ryder Cup. Don't be surprised if it happens.

• Sergio Garcia returns to the PGA Tour this week. I'm not as down on Sergio as many people are but he needs a big win over here soon. The sooner the better.

• The Charlotte 49ers, ranked second in the Golf World college rankings, begin their spring season Sunday in Florida with great expectations. Can they win the national championship? Definitely. They've already beaten the teams they'll have to beat to win the NCAA tournament. The 49ers are solid through their lineup and, right now anyway, have the great intangible on their side -- confidence. If they can keep the feeling they have now, they'll be a factor.

• I still think Annika Sorenstam has a few victories left in her. She won't be No. 1 again but, if she stays healthy this year, she'll win again.

U.S. Open to introduce Chambers Bay

Never heard of Chambers Bay Golf Course?

You’re about to.

Chambers Bay, built on land reclaimed from an old gravel quarry beside the Puget Sound, has been awarded the 2015 U.S. Open and the 2010 U.S. Amateur, proving the national championship of American golf isn’t forever tied to the same small cluster of old-line clubs.

Two things jump out about the Chambers Bay announcement, made officially today at the USGA meeting in Houston:

The USGA likes holding the Open on municipal courses, which Chambers Bay is, and it’s willing to take its biggest event to a new course, considering Chambers Bay just opened last summer.

The Open now has three truly public courses on its list of sites, starting with Torrey Pines this year, a return to Bethpage next year and Chambers Bay in 2015. Pebble Beach and Pinehurst are also open to the public, though they’re classified as resort courses.

When the Open goes to Chambers Bay, it will be the first one played in the Pacific Northwest. It also means four of the next eight Opens are on the West Coast (including the 2012 Open at the Olympic Club in San Francisco).

Tiger's message: Be very afraid

I had planned to write about someone other than Tiger Woods today.

The idea was to write about how good it was to see Adam Scott pick up a win immediately this year on the European Tour and how Ernie Els and Phil Mickelson were already rattling their sabers this young season.

But Els couldn't close the deal in Dubai Sunday and the Lefthander lost a playoff to J.B. Holmes in Scottsdale, Ariz., and it was Tiger - again - delivering like only he can.

How good can he get?

When Tiger made the turn Sunday in the Dubai Desert Classic, he was four strokes behind someone named Louis Oosthuizen. Two hours later, Tiger had closed with five birdies on the last seven holes to win and he'd landed another uppercut to the psyche of everyone attempting to play the same game he plays.

Tiger has won his past five starts and that may be just the beginning.

Here's how much Tiger has re-framed the discussion already this year: A month ago, the talk was about how this year sets up for Tiger to make a run at the Grand Slam. Now, it's beginning to sound like it will be a surprise if Tiger doesn't win the Slam.

That's stretching a point but Tiger makes us stretch the parameters of what's expected of him. He's taking a couple of weeks off before returning for the World Golf Championship match play event.

The way Tiger's playing these days, even Nick O'Hern - twice a Tiger tamer - may not want a piece of him in the match play tournament. Why would he?

Nicklaus not done at Augusta

Jack Nicklaus has all the green jackets he needs -- six of them -- but he's not completely finished playing golf at Augusta National during Masters week.

During a national conference call Thursday, Nicklaus said he will play in the Wednesday afternoon Par-3 tournament this year and intends to play for many more years, in part to accommodate his grandchildren who want to caddie for him.

Nicklaus also edged closer to accepting the role of honorary starter on Thursday morning, joining Arnold Palmer, who did it for the first time last April.

"I think that first of all I have to be asked to do that," Nicklaus said of the starter's role. "And I think that I've been told that I would be welcome whenever I wanted to. And I think that Arnold Palmer should have his day for a while. Hopefully, I'll have time to have mine at a later date."

Nicklaus often bypassed the Par-3 tournament during his prime, admitting part of it had to do with being superstitious, knowing no one has ever won the Par-3 event and the Masters in the same year.

He's at a different place in his life and career now and is sure to be featured when ESPN televises two hours of the popular event in April.

Nicklaus said once he agreed to let Jack II's son, Charlie, caddie for him in the Par-3, he started a family trend. Asked how long he will continue to play the event with a 20th grandchild due next month, Nicklaus said, "I'll tell you in the next 20 years."

Ian Poulter naked? Why?

Do we really need to see Ian Poulter naked?

The funny thing is Poulter is known primarily for the custom-made clothes he wears that have given him an identity beyond the scoreboard. I like his clothes, by the way, but wouldn’t wear them myself, having passed the expiration date on wearing tight-fitting trousers and anything lilac.

But it’s Poulter without clothes and his, shall we say, naked assertion recently that he’s the man to challenge Tiger Woods that has him in the news on the eve of the Dubai Desert Classic.

First, the photo.

Poulter and his spiked blond hair apparently found it amusing to pose for a European magazine cover with nothing but a strategically placed pink golf bag. It’s eye-catching, that’s for sure.
Then there’s what Poulter said in the March edition of Golf World (not the American version of the magazine).

“The problem is I know I haven’t played to my full potential yet. And when that happens, it will just be me and Tiger,” Poulter said.

Asked to pick a winner of the Masters in April, Poulter said, “Put Tiger down for that one.”

Asked to pick a winner of the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines in June, he said, “You can put me down for that one.”

So much for Tiger winning the Grand Slam.

If you’re confident enough to pose naked behind a golf bag, you’re confident enough to say you think you’re good enough to handle Tiger. I’m not going to bash a guy for being brash. Those of us in the media love when coaches or athletes say something provocative. Golf, you may have noticed, is a little short on trash talk.

And I like what Poulter brings to the game. He’s a guy who stands out in an individual sport that seems to run short of individuals.

The problem with what Poulter said is that he hasn’t won a tournament on the PGA Tour and now he’s on the way to being Tiger’s equal. He’s finished in the top three just twice in 70 career starts.

Poulter admits he hasn’t performed particularly well but says he’s found inspiration from reading a biography on Muhammad Ali (saying it’s the first book he’s ever read cover to cover, but that’s another issue).

He has given us another reason to pay attention to what happens in Dubai this week.

Safe to say, Ian Poulter is comfortable in his own skin.

Amazingly, Tiger still getting better

When Tiger Woods said over the weekend that his golf game is getting better - even better than it was in his still-hard-to-believe run through 2000 and 2001 - it wasn’t idle chatter.

Tiger doesn’t do idle chatter.

It was, no doubt, thunder in the ears of everyone else who makes their living on the PGA Tour, reminding them that they’re getting no closer to chasing down Tiger and, perhaps, the gap is widening again.

Woods, who is off to Dubai this week after winning the U.S. Open Preview/Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines on Sunday, probably is getting better.

It’s what he does.

He ‘owns’ his golf swing, a concept he’s talked about often in the past. That means he knows how it works and in the rare moments when he hits a ragged shot, he can immediately fix it. He’s always been confident but to watch him and listen to him now it’s obvious that he’s in a great place with his game.

Having tied Arnold Palmer on the all-time PGA Tour victory list with No. 62 on Sunday, he’ll probably pass Arnie next month at Bay Hill where Arnie plays the role of host. There’s a nice symmetry to that.

And the talk of a Grand Slam is growing, fueled by the fact Tiger said he thinks it’s within reach this year. There was a time when the suggestion would have been outrageous.

Not anymore.

Woods chooses his causes carefully

In Anaheim, Cal., on Monday, Tiger Woods unveiled a statue of himself and his late father, Earl, at the Tiger Woods Learning Center.

It was Earl, Tiger has said, who inspired him not only to play golf the way he does but to find a way to help others benefit from his success. The learning center, where Woods has put his heart as well as his name, is where Tiger has chosen to focus his efforts.

It has been so successful, having hosted more than 16,000 kids in two years, that another is under way in Washington, D.C. It is not about golf – though there is a golf element – but it is about learning and responsibility and opportunity.

Two days later, Woods was in the media center in San Diego explaining how he had forgiven his friend Kelly Tilghman for her dreadful choice of words three weeks ago, her “lynch him in a back alley" comment having sparked another storm of national discourse on race.

Intent – or the lack of intent – weighed heavily into Tiger’s reaction, as it should have. He understood Tilghman made a regrettable remark while also understanding there was no malice or ill intent. We all make mistakes, Woods said.

The issue, as we all know, was fueled by Golfweek’s monumentally misguided decision to run a noose on its cover, a classic example of the media being caught in the swirl of a story it continues to churn.

While others including the Rev. Al Sharpton and Jim Brown have chimed in and Tilghman served a appropriate two-week unpaid suspension, Woods has been criticized for not making a bigger issue of the incident.

“I know there are people who want me to be a champion of all causes and I just can’t do that,” Woods said.

He has chosen his causes and has worked in his way to make other lives better. He is not oblivious to history or prejudice or social activism. He is not as political as some would like him to be but Woods is a man of deep convictions.

And not just on the golf course.

Tiger closing in on another legend

Tiger Woods is on the verge of taking down another giant.

When Tiger wins his next tournament - which may come Sunday in the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines - it will be his 62nd PGA Tour victory.
That would tie him with Arnold Palmer.

Not that we didn’t already understand Tiger’s place in history but tying Palmer, for fourth on the all-time victory list, would be another reminder of what we’re seeing.

It’s entirely possible, perhaps even likely, that Woods will eventually win 100 PGA Tour events. He just turned 32, after all, and we’re not sure we’ve seen him in his prime yet.

But tying and passing Arnie deserves a moment.
Only three players have won more tournaments than Palmer - Sam Snead won 82, Jack Nicklaus won 73 and Ben Hogan won 64. Hogan, at least figuratively, is looking over his shoulder.

Arnie is just waiting to say congratulations.

Tiger's appearance signals golf's return

Tiger Woods has arrived just in time.

But will Phil Mickelson be able to join him?

The PGA Tour season, which is three weeks and one national controversy old, gets Woods back this week when he plays in the Buick Invitational at Torrey Pines where he’s won four times and will be the overwhelming favorite when the U.S. Open returns there in June.

Woods’ return couldn’t come at a better time. Nothing against Daniel Chopra, K.J. Choi and D.J. Trahan but none of them move the interest needle in the dead of January, even for those of us with golf on the brain.

The Tour made a big deal when it revamped its schedule last year, admitting it couldn’t compete with football in the fall, in effect surrendering to America’s favorite sport. It’s no different in January when the NFL playoffs are king. If you watched golf on television last Sunday, it was probably during commercial breaks in the playoffs.

But when Tiger plays in January, we’re instantly engaged.

Perhaps this week will put an end to the Kelly Tilghman story. Woods tried to close the door on it Monday when he said she made an “unfortunate” mistake but there was no ill intent. Tilghman is scheduled to return to The Golf Channel broadcasts this week and don’t be surprised if she makes an apology on-air.

Golfweek, by the way, intends to run a front-page letter from its new editor, Jeff Babineau, apologizing for its terrible judgment in running a noose on its cover recently.

This has been trumpeted as the week both Tiger and Mickelson return but Lefty is home fighting a respiratory problem that has bothered for him for weeks. Doctors finally ordered him to stay in bed for at least two days, forcing him to cancel his season-opening press conference today in San Diego. He hopes to play in the Wednesday pro-am if his condition improves.

It will be nice to see Tiger and Phil playing again. It means the season has officially started.

Soaking up the tug of golf on TV

This is when watching the PGA Tour is cruel.

Oh, it’s bad enough watching guys hit 6-irons 205 yards, give every putt they hit a chance to go in and wear slacks that never wrinkle.

Now we’re stuck here with our annual dose of winter (which means if we ever get to play again we’ll be hitting pitch shots off turf that feels like a wet towel) and the tour guys have found the green grass and the sunshine.

They’re in Palm Springs this week playing golf on what looks like something Hollywood created. It’s almost too green, too blue and too perfect. It’s brighter than Samuel L. Jackson’s sweaters.

You don’t need high-definition to feel the tug of golf in warm weather and in a setting even Martha Stewart couldn’t improve.

Until recently, we’ve been able to cope with the off-season. The weather has been fairly mild, allowing us to keep playing on dormant fairways, and the holidays always distract us enough so that golf isn’t all we think about.

But now, two months before we can hope the Bermuda starts turning green in our fairways again, we have to nourish our golf jones from the couch or the bar stool. There’s always the temptation of a golf trip to some place warm, sunny and overpriced but the economy is suddenly worse than John Daly’s reputation.

We should consider ourselves fortunate. Winter doesn’t last long here. It tends to come and go, like most of our putting strokes, lasting a week or two at a time. The folks up north won’t be playing golf again until the azaleas are blooming at Augusta.

Right now, we’re feeling their pain – and living vicariously through Robert Gamez and D.J. Trahan.

Daly, Gainey victims of unkind cut

It is now possible, as John Daly, Tommy ‘Two Gloves’ Gainey and some other PGA Tour players know, to make the cut in a tour event but still not get to play the weekend.

It happened at the Sony Open in Hawaii last week, the first time a new tour guideline was put into effect, costing Big John the chance to play on Saturday and Sunday, something that has become increasingly infrequent in his curious career.

Like most golf rules, this one is hard to explain but - and hopefully I get this right - here’s how the new cut rule works:

The 36-hole cut will continue to include the low 70 and ties. However, if more than 78 players make the cut, the new rule kicks in and the number of players who actually play the weekend reverts back to the number of players closest to 70. Got it?

Didn’t think so.

Here’s what happened at the Sony: A total of 87 players shot even-par 140 or better, technically making the cut. But the field was actually cut to the 69 players who posted 1-under par 139 through two rounds.

“It’s a stupid rule,” Daly told The Golf Channel.

Maybe but the idea is to keep from having so many players on the weekend that it requires play to begin on the first and 10th tees with players in threesomes. That means five-hour rounds, and no one likes those.

The 18 players who made the cut but didn’t get to play left with $9,699 in their checking accounts and 46 FedEx Cup points to their credit.

Some, no doubt, cited the names of Brad Faxon, Chris Couch and Jose Maria Olazabal, each of whom has won a tournament after making the cut on the number.

Suddenly, grinding to make the cut on Friday afternoon has taken on a whole new look. The number keeps moving.

Tilghman apologized. That should be it.

Kelly Tilghman made a mistake.
But that’s all it was - a mistake.
Tilghman said something she shouldn’t have during a Golf Channel broadcast last week and she has apologized for it.

That should be the end of it.
Tilghman has apologized directly to Tiger Woods for saying young players should "lynch him in a back alley" after broadcast partner Nick Faldo suggested young players may need to gang up on Woods to challenge his dominance of the PGA Tour.

It was an unfortunate comment, certainly. But Tilghman, who has done a commendable job as the anchor of The Golf Channel’s tour telecast, doesn’t deserve to be hammered for her mistake. That won’t stop some people from pouncing anyway.

I don’t know Tilghman well - I’ve interviewed her and chit-chatted with her through the years - but I’m convinced there was no malice intended. She is a nice person who has worked extremely hard to do a good job and she has succeeded on merit.

She and Tiger are friends and he immediately accepted her apology, having had his own issue a few years back when he used the word "spaz" in describing himself.

Tilghman is liked and respected by the people who know her. She should be.

She said something she wishes she hadn’t and she apologized. In doing so, she said just the right thing. Let’s move on.

On golfer's resolutions

Like believing I’ll ever break 70, I long ago gave up on the notion of New Year’s resolutions.

But, like every day on the first tee offers at least the chance of doing the impossible, what’s the harm in making a few golf-related resolutions while waiting for the PGA Tour guys to show up on TV from Kapalua.

Therefore, I hereby resolve in 2008 to:

• Never dress like Rory Sabbatini;

• Never dress like Christina Kim;

• Play one 18-hole round this year without a double bogey;

• Quit leaving four-footers short of the hole (yeah, right);

• Charge caddie fee to anyone who insists on taking me stroke-by-stroke through the 86 they shot at the beach, or anywhere else;

• Not to require oxygen every time I have to hit a bunker shot;

• Practice putting more often, hit balls less often;

• Try not to roll my eyes when somebody insists on telling me how far they can hit a 7-iron;

• Figure out why I still have a 3-iron in my bag;

• Try not to have a different swing thought on every swing;

• Listen to Boo Weekley every chance I get.

It’s a start, anyway.